(Farmingdale, NY-June 22) Phil Mickelson came up just short at the US Open again. He finished tied for second, two strokes behind winner Lucas Glover. This is the fifth time in his career that Phil has finished second at the Open. Phil was tied for the lead before making back to back bogeys, in what proved to be a roller coaster week for him.
Phil Mickelson had this to say about his final round, “I felt good heading into the final round. I was really striking the ball well with my
irons, and off the tee’s, but my putting just wasn’t there when it mattered most.”
Phil started the round seven strokes back of leader Ricky Barnes, and six behind Lucas Glover. But Barnes and Glover started their rounds poorly, both bogeying the first two holes. This left Phil with only a five stroke deficit to overcome. Phil followed up an amazing tee shot on the 14th, with a beautiful approach, leaving him a twelve-foot putt for eagle. Phil hit the putt and the crowd let out a deafening roar as the ball fell into the side of the cup, sending an audible message to Glover and Barnes that Phil had pulled into a tie for the lead.
Phil’s caddie, Bones Richards said, “When Phil hit the putt on 14, we both thought we had a very good chance of winning. At the worst, we knew we were in position to force a playoff. But then we bogey the 16th and 17th and I think we both knew it just wasn’t going to happen.”
Barnes started the day with a one stroke lead over Lucas Glover, but the pressure of being the leader quickly got to Barnes who, along with Glover, allowed Phil and the rest of the pack back into the tournament with their poor play. Glover managed to fight through the pressure and right the ship with a birdie on 13.
Phil’s playing partner for the final round, Hunter Mahan, had this to say “When Phil hit that eagle on 14, we all knew it was going to come down to the final couple of holes…it was absolutely heart breaking to watch Phil bogey those two holes…after everything he and his family have been through in the last month, your heart just goes out to the guy.”
After Phil faltered, Glover hit a birdie on 16, and then hit a crucial par putt on 17 from twelve feet away. He walked to the 18th tee with a two stroke lead on Mickelson.
Glover was asked if he knew where he stood late in the round, “I’m a scoreboard watcher. I know a lot of guys don’t like to, but I like to know exactly where I stand. I compare it to football, you have to manage the clock. When I walked up to the 18th tee, I knew I could just play it conservatively. All I had to do was hit the fairway and avoid the bunkers. Then I just aimed for the center of the green so I could make a two putt par. When that putt went in, it was just an amazing feeling.”
Despite the end result, the stage belonged to Phil, as it usually does in New York. In 2001, when the Open was first played at Bethpage Black, Phil established a special relationship with the New York fans. That relationship continued when the Open went to Wingfoot in upstate New York in 2005. This week was no different. Phil engaged the fans throughout his rounds. He even acknowledged that he had brushed up on New York sports teams like the Yankees and Mets, so that he could talk to the fans. When Phil made his par on 18, the fans gave him a standing ovation as he walked off the course.
Phil said of the fans, “I want to personally thank the fans. They kept me going this week, and I was able to feed off their energy and enthusiasm. I really wanted to win, not only for myself, but for them too. My wife and I just can’t thank them enough for all the wonderful things they’ve said and done for us during this incredibly difficult time. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I know I desperately want to win this tournament.”
The weather might have been the biggest star this week. It wrecked havoc on the tournament, twice causing play to be suspended and forcing the first non-playoff Monday finish since 1976. Phil will now take an extended leave of absence from the tour to be with his wife Amy as she begins treatment for breast cancer. Phil said he was not sure when he would return, and that he was virtually sure he would miss the British Open next month.
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Reported by Christian Kloberdanz